Discover the Power of somatic breathwork
Ivy Brotherton, RYTT 200-hour Certified Yoga Teacher
Nutrition and Health Coach, ACE Certified Personal Trainer
BIO
For years I battled chronic stress, anxiety, PTSD and various health complications from eating disorders. I believed I was beyond help and there was nothing I could do to mitigate the stress response.
In 2017 I completed my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training. It was a 6 month rigorous course, which left me more depleted and stressed than when I had began.
I had learned about pranayana (breath control) and breathwork in my training, and felt a strong internal nudge to start practicing.
I woke up early one Friday morning in 2017 and started what became a daily practice of breathwork and meditation.
Breathwork has been the catalyst to enable my nervous system to TURN OFF the stress response, and slowly over time I noticed a reduction in my POTS symptoms, I even noticed my digestive distress was improved! The best part was my ability to handle stress increased exponentially and I saw a reduction in PTSD symptoms.
Combining breathwork, pranayama, and journaling with mediation has been powerful medicine.
Coming home to my breath allowed me to come home to my truth.
Now I hope to gift you with a similar healing experience by helping you connect more deeply to your body's natural healing mechanism, the breath.
evidence based benefits of somatic breathwork
- Releases stress and trauma from the body
- Cultivates mindfulness
- Expands consciousness and spirituality
- Triggers the brain to release a natural psychedelic chemical
- Enhances feelings of euphoria and positive emotions
Terumi LaGuardia, RYT 200-hour Certified Yoga Teacher
Terumi first explored yoga in 1994 with an introduction to Sivananda yoga. She was immediately drawn to the holistic nature of yoga as it provided a way to balance the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of her life. However, becoming pregnant with her third daughter soon after, her yoga journey was put on pause as family life took center stage. As her children grew older and entered school, Terumi went back to school herself to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology and k-8 education to become a teacher. In 2014, it was by chance that an after-school yoga class was offered right across the hall from her classroom, and Terumi began exploring yoga again. By 2018, she was practicing in earnest. As a lifelong learner herself, Terumi decided to share her practice as a yoga teacher in 2021 and became a RYT 200-hour certified yoga teacher and SEL facilitator. She has taught yoga to Gloucester County Public School’s faculty and staff since 2019 and has offered children’s yoga after school. While Terumi practices and studies a variety of different styles of yoga to include Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Yin, and Restorative, she is committed to living her yoga as an integral part of her life and understands that teaching the physical practice is only one part of the 8 limbs of yoga. Her goal is to help people learn how to embody yoga in mind, body, and spirit. She strives to share what she learns from Yoga to teach people to be in their bodies and take practitioners from “doing” to “being,” allowing them to live more fully in the present moment.
Terumi lives in Gloucester County with her husband, Mark, an environmental marine scientist at VIMS, her dog Izzy, two cats, Peter and John-Boy, and her “heart” horse, Alley Bee Starstruck. Terumi has three grown children and 6 grandchildren with whom she often shares her yoga practice. She is an avid runner and has competed in 5ks, 10-milers, and half marathons. Terumi still teaches in Gloucester County and continues to share her yoga practice with the teachers and staff of Gloucester County Public Schools.
Favorite yoga quote:
“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.”
~The Bhagavad Gita
Kayla Houck, Support Specialist
Kayla Houck is the support specialist here at Seeds of Change Counseling (Ashley Murphy, LMFT, LLC). Kayla brings a burst of fun and loving energy to the practice, where her smile is contagious, and her empathetic heart can be seen from a mile away. Kayla started her journey here at the practice while she completed her internship. She is set to receive her Bachelor of Science Psychology: Crisis Counseling & Christian Counseling from Liberty University this May. After this Kayla plans to become a Qualified Mental Health Provider (QMHP) before continuing to the graduate level. Kayla has over five years of experience within the crisis field and working with people of all ages and backgrounds. She will be taking registration for interest in a Cancer Support Group starting this summer. Please reach out if interested. Flyer located in "PDF" tab above
Now Hiring!!!!
Seeking Pre-Licensed Therapists!
Seeds of Change Counseling is seeking to hire a pre-licensed therapist to see clients virtually or in person part time or full time. Ashley Murphy can provide 100% Licensure Supervision to LMFTs and 50% of LPC hours for supervision. Please be patient with us as we grow!
Seeking Yoga Teachers and Reiki Practitioners to hire!
Full Bloom Wellness just moved into a bigger space that can host a group of about 8 people for yoga. As Ashley Murphy is just beginning her yoga therapy teacher training, she is hoping to find Yoga Teachers to contract with to offer more yoga class options for the community. If you enjoy teaching yoga and would want to come to Mathews to teach a small class, please reach out to Ashley. She is also interested in partnering with a Reiki Practitioner that can offer Reiki Sessions to her therapy clients she is unable to serve in that modality.